Dark Love
by Kanti
Summary: A young man meets the girl of his dreams. Or possibly his nightmares. (liberties with lore may have been taken)


Dark Love

Tucked back inside the winding paths of the Lavender Beds, beneath the canopy of trees so ancient they had some measure of sentience, was an abandoned cottage. Until a few years ago it was just like any other cottage, small and quaint and unremarkable, until the owner was murdered. The investigation turned up that he was running a poaching ring, and was likely the victim of a deal gone wrong, or a rival ring eliminating competition. Or, as the locals preferred, vengeance from the elementals who guarded the Black Shroud. They considered the place cursed, and most tried to ignore the deteriorating fence, overgrown vines, and faded, peeling paint. Neighbors speculated the plot would be returned to the elementals before too long.

But today, as a young Mi'Quote with sandy brown hair led a chocobo laden with salted fish home from a successful fishing trip, it was occupied. The vines had been cleared away and the door and shutters were freshly painted. What was apparently the new occupant, a Hyur woman, was busy mending a section of the fence as he approached.

"Good morning, Neighbor!" he called as he came within earshot. She looked up and he was greeted by a pretty smile with brown eyes. She was wearing loose pants and a wool vest over a shirt.

"Good morning! And who might you be?"

"V'Grenn," he said as he approached. "I live up the hill a ways."

The Hyur woman got to her feet and proved to be quite a bit taller than him as she wiped the dirt off her pants. She removed her hat to reveal auburn hair cut into a stylish bob. A blue tattoo was swiped across her right cheek. V'Grenn found her incredibly beautiful and his ears perked up and his tail curled a little bit. Mara saw his reaction and smiled, causing his tail to curl a little more.

"Mara. Mara Swiftwater," she replied as she shook his hand. "I just moved in last week."

"Great! I've been in La Noscea fishing with some friends for a couple of weeks," he said, motioning towards the large bird following him.

"Looks like a nice haul," she said as she fanned herself with her hat. Her face was a flushed and sweaty from working outside. She approached the chocobo. "I can tell he's carrying a lot."

"Can you?"

Mara shrugged. "I've been around Chocobos a lot." She ruffled the Chocobo's feathers and the bird gave a soft whistle when she scratched under his beak.

"You're an adventurer, aren't you?" V'Grenn asked as the realization dawned on him.

Mara paused for a moment, then continued petting the chocobo. "Yep."

"I'm sorry," said V'Grenn, sensing he'd struck a nerve. "Does that bother you?"

"Not really," she said, giving the bird a final scratch and then turning to V'Grenn. "I've been adventuring for a long time and decided to take a break. Try to settle down for a while. I've missed knowing what it's like to return to a home or wake up in the same place every day."

"I adventured for a little bit. I know what you mean. But you've chosen a great neighborhood. If there's anything you need to help settle in I'm all yours."

"All mine, you say?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

V'Grenn blushed and his ears lay flat as he felt the hair on his tail stand up.

"To the extent that a neighbor can be!" He replied, trying to mask his embarrassment.

Mara's eyes lit up with laughter. Her voice sounded sweet to V'Grenn's ears and her smile was delightful. He needed to get home, but he wanted to spend more time with her.

"Listen, I need to get home," he said at length. "Can I drop by and visit sometime?"

"Sure! I've got a lot of work to do on the house so I'll be around."

"How about tomorrow?"

"Sounds good."

V'Grenn burst into the house just as V'Regata was carefully warming a solution over an open flame.  
"SIS!" he exclaimed, the sound of his voice and the slamming door shattered his sister's focus, causing causing her to fumble the flask and nearly drop the flammable concoction over the burner.

"How many times have I told you not to do that!" she shrieked, clutching her instruments tightly and away from the burner.

"Sorry!" he said as he closed the door much more gently. "And why are you doing your alchemy upstairs? Didn't we build the room downstairs for that?"

V'Regata''s ears flattened and she looked away. "It's kind of filled with toxic gas right now."

"Toxic gas?"

"Yeah, I'm waiting on an order for some cleaning equipment to get rid of it." Her eyes glazed over a little as her mind began wandering. "Going to need some protective equipment, too. None of it cheap." She sat up straight and her ears perked up, changing the subject. "Anyway! How was your trip? Did you bring us lots of food?" she asked, tapping her claws together.

"Great," he said, still concerned about a room full of toxic gas in his basement. "I caught a lot of fish. We are going to eat well for a while!"

"Yay!" she exclaimed while clapping. "Did you meet the new neighbor?"

"The one who moved into the abandoned house?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah! She's really pretty."

V'Rekk nodded. "Are you going to ask her out?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I think she'd be good for you. And," she continued before her brother could object, "I talked you up a little when we met. I think she's interested."

"Come on, she should at least get a chance to settle into the neighborhood before weirdoes like me start making romantic overtures."

"All I'm saying is I think you should consider it and we both know that girl at Buscarron's is taken."

V'Regata watched her brother's tail flick back and forth and his ears twitch. She could tell he just needed a little push to make up his mind. But what?

"She likes picnics."

V'Grenn nodded as his mind worked. "I can do picnics."

A few days later they had their picnic. V'Grenn wore a light wool coat and Mara was dressed in red and white silks of Ul'Dahn fashion. The food was gone and the wine almost so. They had found a sunny hill near the Honey Yard that was free of pesky beasts thanks to the vigilance of the Wood Wailers and the local beehives.

"You sure you're not cold?" he asked. "Those are desert clothes."

Mara rubbed the fabric of her tunic. "It's fine. I grew up in the mountains so cold doesn't bother me. Besides it's the nicest thing I own."

"Well I think it looks very nice on you."

"Thank you!" Mara replied with a flirtatious shrug and a cute smile. V'Grenn's heart fluttered and a shiver went down his tail. Mara was fun, smart, and very interesting. They had been talking nonstop, each topic flowing into the next almost ceaselessly, pausing mostly to eat and drink.

Mara cast her eyes on the bow and quiver of arrows lying beside the blanket.

"I trust you're a good shot with that?"

"Of course. You don't grow up in the Shroud without learning how to protect yourself from poachers and wild beasts."

"Can I take a look at it?" Mara asked.

"Sure!" said V'Genn as he handed her the bow.

Mara inspected it and found it was not wanting for quality. A perfect balance of flexibility, strength, and weight.

"You said you've been adventuring" she asked as she returned the weapon. "Have you ever considered picking it back up?"

V'Grenn shrugged. "I tried my hand at a leve or two from the adventurer's guild. It didn't end well, which is to say it almost ended me." He rubbed his throat where a poacher's knife had come within ilms of opening it.

Mara chuckled. "Then what is?"

"Helping provide a living for my sister and I. She's a brilliant alchemist but awful at handling money."

Mara crossed her legs and leaned on her knees. "You're good brother. She's lucky to have you."

"I feel the same about you."

Mara's fair skin turned quite red at that compliment. She shook her head and scooted closer.

"Are you sure about that?"

"I think so."

"You barely know me."

"I know enough."

V'Grenn felt his blood rushing through his system. Everything was falling into place exactly like his sister said. Silence had fallen between them. Mara was sitting closer to him and was now leaning closer. Her brown eyes looked directly into his, and she seemed to be waiting for something. It was just like how V'Rekk described.

 _Listen. If it goes right she's going to want it, but you've got to give it. She'll get closer to you, but she won't get all up on you. She'll reduce the gap but you've got to close it. When she's looking right in your eyes and not saying anything, that's your cue! Go get you some!_

 _I don't do that on first dates!_

 _It could happen!_

 _Shut up!_

 _I'll make you a love potion!_

 _Stop!_

Everything was perfect as he started to close the distance between them. Not even the ground exploding a few yalms away could ruin this.

Wait.

A hole opened in the ground a little ways downhill. Out of it crawled several short, hairy creatures with long ears and covered in crude mining gear, brandishing axes, picks, and knives.

"Kobolds?" said V'Goh in alarm. "Here?" His blood turned to ice and his heart nearly stopped. Somehow the La Noscean beast tribe had crossed the sea and made their way across Thanalan to the heart of the Black Shroud.

The two picnickers got to their feet. V'Goh picked up his weapon and nocked an arrow, moving a little in front of Mara. So far the Kobolds had not noticed them.

"Made it!" shrieked a staff-wielding Kobold. "Dig through rock, soil, lava, did we!" he babbled as he jumped up and down excitedly. "And somewhere we did not understand. But now we are here!"

"Here! Here!" chanted the others.

"No more dirt-eating, flea-infested hierarchy to order us around! Free we are! Free!"

"Free! Free!"

"Much ore has the Shroud. Unspoiled! Pure! Rich we will be! Rich! Rich!"

"Rich! Rich!"

"Summon our own Titan, we will! Expand his kingdom! All hail the Lord of Craggs!"

"Titan! Titan! Lord of Craggs!" they all chanted as they bounced up and down.

"V'Grenn caught a whiff of their noxious odor and sneezed. Mara glared at him and he shrugged with an anxious smile.

The Kobolds stood still for a moment, then turned, acting surprised to find they were not alone. For a few moments they all stared at each other. Then the Kobolds started stomping the ground angrily.

"Found we are! Found! Secret this mission was. Who sent you? Feed you to our forges we will!"

"We were having a picnic! You're the ones who barged in!"

"Lies!" Days, weeks we dig," screeched their leader. "Plotted our course with great care!"

V'Grenn drew his bow, aiming between the leader's beady eyes.

"I don't think the elementals will let you stay."

"Elementals, smelementals! We dig, mine, live where and as we please!"

"It doesn't work like that here!"

Mara slapped his arm, much harder than V'Goh was expecting.

"Shut up!" she hissed. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

"Go to authorities you will, yes?" cried their leader. "Drive Kobolds from new home! Back to La Noscea! No more! Ba Ba and his followers listen to no one!"

"No one! No one!" they chanted with grating, retching voices, jumping up and down and swinging their weapons about.

"No one tells us what to do! Kill them!"

V'Goh fired an arrow just above the leader's head, grazing his hair. He had another arrow nocked by the time anyone had seen it. The Kobolds hesitated, none of them willing to be the first to die.

"Run!" he hissed at Mara. "There's a Wood Wailer camp nearby. I'll stall them!"

V'Grenn smelled a sharp, salty gust, the telltale scent of a glamour prism being dispelled. The Kobolds looked from him to Mara and balked. He felt a strong hand grab his shoulder. The hand was covered in armor and it was attached to Mara. Heavy armor adorned her body where the beautiful silks were a moment ago. A long scarf draped from her neck and a leather skirt covered her legs. She held a long sword in her other hand.

"Don't worry," she said. A dark aura instantly surrounded her and her voice became deep and reverberating. Dark energy boiled and lashed around her and her eyes glowed red.

"I've got this," she said with a grin.

With that she took a magnificent leap into the cluster of Kobolds and went to work with her sword. Mara became a whirlwind of steel and dark magic, carving a bloody swath through the Kobolds. V'Grenn stared as the Kobolds shrieked in terror while their new foe made short, gory work of them.

"Kill her! Kill her!"

Heads and limbs flew. All of them Kobold in origin.

"No escape! Flee! No Hope at all!"

Dark fire billowed and consumed Mara's enemies.

"Blood! So much blood! Where does it come from?"

Eventually all that was left of the Kobolds was a patch of black blood and mangled bodies on the side of the hill. Mara scanned the carnage to make sure none of them were moving, then took a deep breath. The dark aura vanished as she released her breath and she stood up straight.

"Whew! Sorry about that!" she sighed, planting the sword in the ground, surveying her work with her free hand on her hip and a satisfied look on her face. She was unhurt but splattered liberally with blood. "Almost ruined a perfect date!" She looked around. V'Grenn was nowhere in sight.

"Hey! Where did you go?"

That evening Mara drowned her emotions in an alarming number of flagons at the Carline Canopy, opposite her friend and mentor, a fellow Dark Knight Lalafell named Boogaroto, who peeked over the collection of empty cups. While Mara was wearing her Ul'Dahn silks, Boo was wearing his armor, complete with a heavy steel barbut on his head. The aura of his darkside danced around him as he listened to his apprentice's venting. Most people kept their distance from their corner of the pub, but Boogaroto was both polite and generous so the staff served them well.

"I don't get it!" she wailed. "Everything was going so well! The food and drink was good, we were getting along, we were just about to kiss! Sure the Kobolds were unexpected but I totally wiped the floor with them! I think that was pretty awesome. Don't you think?"

"Killing evil people is always awesome," he replied with a deep, reverberating voice. "I don't know what that guy's problem was."

"It's no use. Maybe I am just unlovable." Mara folded her arms on the table and buried her face in her sleeves with a deep sigh.

"Hey don't be like that!" Boo chided. "You are strong, smart, and beautiful. If that guy can't like you for that then it's his loss. You will find someone who appreciates you."

Mara peeked out from her sleeves, still pouting. "You think so?"

"I saw you put your life back together after those jerks in the Sultansworn set you up. I watched you master your dark side and gain strength you didn't know you had. I watched you find peace in your life and now you just bought a house with money you earned with hard work and well-earned respect. You are pretty awesome, Mara."

Mara's lips pulled to one side of her face as her self-loathing side resisted her mentor's words of encouragement. They were all true. She'd worked hard and it was paying off.

"Besides, you got a date within like a week of moving here. I'd count that as a win."

Mara pursed her lips. She'd never seen Boogaroto outside his armor, or seen him drop his darkside. He never removed his helmet, even to eat and drink. He was intimidating as all get out but had never let her down. She trusted his opinions and respected him as a person. She sat up and firmly grasped her current flagon.

"You're right! Screw that guy! He can get eaten by a dragon for all I care!"

"There's the apprentice I know."

They toasted and tilted their drinks back, Boo without opening his helmet.

"Thanks, Boo. You're the best."

"It's what friends do."


End file.
